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Date published: January 27, 2026
Sunday 28th December 00:00
England face Croatia in their 2026 World Cup Group L opener on Wednesday 17 June 2026 at 9pm UK time at AT&T Stadium, with key team news, head-to-head stats and match predictions.
| Bookie | Selection | Best Odds | Market | Bet |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
England to win | 4/7 | England vs Croatia | Place Bet |
|
England 1-0 Croatia | 13/2 | England vs Croatia | Place Bet |
|
Under 3.5 Goals | 4/11 | England vs Croatia | Place Bet |
|
England double chance, under 3.5 goals, and Harry Kane to score anytime | TBC | England vs Croatia | Place Bet |
Date of Tips: 08/12/2025
Disclaimer The odds for these selections were correct at the time of publishing (16:02 08/12/2025) but may have changed since. Please check the latest price before placing your bet.
England face Croatia on Wednesday 17 June 2026 in their World Cup Group L opener, at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, with kick-off at 9pm UK time.
England rock up after a record breaking qualifying run, while Croatia arrive with a squad full of experience, making this one a tough one to call. So without further ado, let’s get into both teams World Cup history, potential lineups, and how they’ve matched up before. And for anyone wanting to get involved in the action, we’ll also share our top England vs Croatia predictions.
Thomas Tuchel has a strong pool of players and a pretty ruthless streak when it comes to roles. He wants two players for every position, plus three flexible options, and he has been crystal clear about a midfield built around three core positions.
Key points:
Qualification form
England won all eight games in Group K and did not concede a single goal, scoring 22. That is a European first for a qualifying group of at least six games.
Leadership core
Jordan Pickford in goal, John Stones at the back, Declan Rice and Jude Bellingham in midfield and Harry Kane up top form the spine and leadership group. Kane has spoken out about wanting to put things right after missing a crucial penalty in England’s 2–1 quarter-final defeat to France at the 2022 World Cup.
Selection battles
Fitness issues around right back Reece James are always a talking point.
Left side options like Nico O’Reilly and the versatile full backs who are still jostling for trust.
In attack, there is an overload of wingers and No 10s, with players like Saka, Gordon, Palmer, Eze, Madueke and Rashford fighting for minutes on the pitch.
Tuchel has one more camp before naming his final 26, plus March friendlies, so there is still room for someone to play their way on or off the plane.
Zlatko Dalić is still in charge and still leaning on that core that carried Croatia to the 2018 final and 2022 third place.
Experience
Luka Modrić remains captain and heartbeat, surely now at his last World Cup. He is still the trusted man from the spot when penalties come into play.
Ivan Perišić is still around and contributing in attack.
Defensive base
Joško Gvardiol is the standout at the back, now firmly in the “world class defender” bracket.
Dominik Livaković continues in goal after his heroics in 2022.
Recent results
A strong qualifying run with a big positive goal difference and notable wins like 5–1 vs Czech Republic and 7–0 vs Gibraltar shows they still know how to control weaker opponents and punish mistakes.
The November squad list is already stacked with regulars from top European clubs.
Nothing is official yet, but going off recent selections and how the managers like to set up, it probably looks something like this.
System: 4 3 3
GK: Pickford
DF: James, Stones, Guehi, O’Reilly
MF: Anderson at 6, Rice as the 8, Bellingham as the 10
FW: Saka right, Gordon or Rashford left, Kane through the middle
Tuchel has used that single pivot with two advanced roles plenty of times and likes the balance of Rice and Bellingham breaking lines.
System: 4 3 3
GK: Livaković
DF: Stanišić, Šutalo, Gvardiol, Ćaleta Car or Pongračić
MF: Modrić, Brozović type 6 role replaced by one of the younger holders, plus Pašalić or Vlašić as the third man
FW: Perišić wide left, Kramarić central, one of Oršić or another wide forward on the right
There is enough depth for Dalić to tweak between a more cautious three in the middle or a slightly braver shape with two attacking eights.
So how do they stack up on the big stage now?
World Cup history
Croatia have finished runners up in 2018 and third in 2022, three podiums in total from six World Cups.
England’s last big high was the Euro 2020 final and the 2018 semi, but they now arrive with one of the best qualification records in Europe.
Head to head
In the last two meetings England have beaten Croatia both times, including 1–0 at Euro 2020 and 2–1 in the Nations League.
Look at the last four clashes and it is 2 wins for England, 1 draw, 1 win for Croatia.
Style wise, England under Tuchel press smarter, defend higher and use those running midfielders. Croatia slow games down, lean on Modrić’s brain and trust their wide players to turn half chances into something bigger.
Don’t expect any crazy angles here.
Tight game feel
Recent head to heads are usually decided by one goal or end level.
England’s defence
Eight qualifiers. Eight wins. Zero goals conceded. That record will tempt anyone who likes solid back lines.
Croatia’s tournament temperament
They have shown over and over they do not panic in big games and rarely get blown away.
So you naturally lean towards cautious scorelines and a game that might take a while to really open up.
If you look at England’s recent form and the way Tuchel has tightened them up, and the depth in attacking positions, and it is hard not to shade this towards them. At the same time, you know what Croatia can do on this stage. They stay in games and they punish lapses.
Add it all up and a narrow England win feels like the most realistic shout. Not a walkover, but one of those nights where Kane or Bellingham finds a moment and the back line holds.
Match Prediction: England to win. Bet with bet365.
The sensible scoreline band is pretty small.
1 0 England
2 1 England
1 1 draw
These correct score tips all sit nicely with England’s defensive record and Croatia’s ability to stick around.
Correct Score Prediction: England 1-0 Croatia. Bet with bet365.
Given everything above…
Under 3.5 goals feels very reasonable.
Under 2.5 is also fair if you think both teams go full control mode.
If you want a slightly safer line, over 1.5 goals still fits the idea of a tight but not totally cagey match.
There is not much in either team’s recent competitive record that screams chaos.
Over/Under Prediction: Under 3.5 Goals. Bet with bet365.
If you looking to build a bet, consider this England v Croatia bet builder:
England or Draw in the result market
Under 3.5 goals in the match
Either Kane or one wide forward to register at least one shot on target
This combo keeps things aligned with England’s strength without disrespecting Croatia’s ability to drag the game deep.
Bet Builder Tip: England double chance, under 3.5 goals, and Harry Kane to score anytime. Bet with bet365.
Key Stats
England won all eight World Cup qualifiers in Group K and did not concede.
Croatia were runners up in 2018 and third in 2022, giving them three podium finishes from six World Cups.
England have won their last two games against Croatia. In the last four, England have 2 wins, 1 draw and 1 defeat.
The match kicks off 9pm UK time at AT&T Stadium in Arlington on 17 June 2026.
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On current form and depth, England look slightly more likely to take it, but Croatia’s World Cup record means it should be close rather than comfortable.
The game kicks off at 9pm UK time on Wednesday 17 June 2026, which is around mid afternoon local time in Texas.
The match is at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, one of the indoor venues being used for the 2026 World Cup.
Croatia reached the final in 2018 and finished third in 2022. England made the semi finals in 2018 and have been regulars in the latter stages of major tournaments.
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